Twinlings
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: When Paige is attacked by a pair of twin demons who steal her witch powers, the Charmed Ones make a frightening discovery. They no longer possess the Power of Three. Without their powers, they must find a way to protect themselves when Cole tells them t


CHARMED  
"TWINLINGS"  
by J. B. Tilton  
  
Rating: PG (for mild language)  
  
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB  
television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is  
a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.  
  
* * *  
  
Authors' note: This story takes place between the episodes "Size Matters" and "Knight  
To Remember".  
  
* * *  
  
When Paige is attacked by a pair of twin demons who steal her witch powers, the  
Charmed Ones make a frightening discovery. They no longer possess the Power of  
Three. Without their powers, they must find a way to protect themselves when Cole  
tells them the demons will be back. To kill Piper and Phoebe. And that there is no  
known way to vanquish these two demons.  
  
* * *  
  
PROLOGUE  
  
A man and a woman looked down on the Halliwell manor from the astral plane. The  
sun was just beginning to rise over San Francisco. The Charmed Ones and their White  
Lighter would be getting up soon. Another day of fending off demons and protecting  
the innocent which was their birthright.  
  
"So, Abigail" said the man, "I think we've finally found the ones we've been looking  
for."  
  
"Yes, Zachary," said Abigail. "The Charmed Ones. Their power level is  
unbelievable. Greater than any witch, warlock, or demon we've ever encountered.   
Their power will be difficult to take. We must take them one at a time."  
  
"What of the White Lighter?" asked Zachary. "Should we take his as well? It will  
only add to the power we gain."  
  
"We've had this conversation before," said Abigail. "You know we can't take a White  
Lighters' power. His is a different type of magic."  
  
"I keep forgetting," said Zachary. "I suggest we start this evening. Once they've  
gone to bed. Who should we concentrate on first?'  
  
"The youngest," said Abigail. "Many believe that the middle sister has the weakest  
of the powers, but this is untrue. Her precognitive ability is more powerful than most  
people understand. Besides, the youngest is new to her powers. And she doesn't have  
full faith in them yet."  
  
"As always," said Zachary, "you are the most analytical of us. I will begin once she  
has gone to bed. It shouldn't be difficult."  
  
"No, it shouldn't," said Abigail. "I'll wait here, as always. I'll take over the next night.   
Once we are finished, I will join you for the absorption."  
  
Zachary smiled and settled in for the night to set.  
  
ONE  
  
Paige came into the kitchen and went straight for the coffee. Her hair hadn't been  
brushed and there were the beginnings of circles under her eyes. Phoebe was still  
upstairs and Piper and Leo sat at the table drinking coffee and talking.  
  
"Good morning to you, too," said Piper.  
  
Paige didn't say a word. She took a deep drink of the coffee, then closed her eyes  
for a moment. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.  
  
"That's better," she said. "Good morning. Say, did either of you hear a baby crying  
last night?"  
  
"Baby?" questioned Leo. "No, I don't think so. Why?"  
  
"I kept hearing this baby crying all night long," said Paige. "I hardly got any sleep."  
  
"Maternal instinct coming to the surface?" asked Piper, smiling.  
  
"Not in the least," said Paige. "Last night it was babies crying. The night before it  
was a cat outside my window crying all night. The night before that one of the shutters  
on my bedroom window kept coming loose and slamming against the house in the  
wind. If this keeps up, I'm not going to get any sleep."  
  
"I didn't hear any cat," said Leo. "Are you sure you weren't imagining it?"  
  
"No, I wasn't imaging it," said Paige testily. "I tried to call it to me just to shut it up  
but nothing happened."  
  
"Then there wasn't a cat," said Leo. "Paige, you know how your power works. If you  
call something to you, it comes to you. If no cat came, there couldn't have been a cat."  
  
"I heard it I tell you," said Paige. "It sat outside my window crying all night. Every  
time I started to doze off, it would wake me up."  
  
"Maybe you should call in sick?" suggested Piper.  
  
"Can't," said Paige. "We're short handed as it is. I'd better get going. But there was  
a cat."  
  
"Don't forget to brush your hair before you get there," called out Piper as Paige  
rushed out of the kitchen.  
  
Leo and Piper just smiled at each other as Paige left for work. Just as she closed  
the front door behind her, Phoebe came down the stairs. She was yawning as she  
walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Morning everyone," she said, covering her mouth with her hand. "I feel like going  
back to bed for a few hours."  
  
"Up late?" asked Piper. "There seems to be an epidemic of that going on around  
here. Paige was up all night, too. Claimed she heard a baby crying all night long."  
  
"Really," said Phoebe, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Cole and I heard a baby  
crying, too. He said it was probably the wind, but it sounded just like a baby."  
  
"There's no baby in the house," said Cole, coming into the kitchen. "So it had to be  
the wind."  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Piper. "Maybe it was some kind of demonic activity or  
something?"  
  
"Believe me," said Cole, "there may be demon children, like those with the ice cream  
truck incident. But there aren't any baby demons. And I never heard of a demon  
imitating a baby, anyway."  
  
"Cole's right," said Leo. "It must have been the wind. I wonder why we didn't hear  
it?"  
  
"I don't know," said Piper, "but I'm not going to worry about it. I'm just going to take it  
easy for the day and enjoy the company of my husband. Assuming THEY don't call you  
for anything."  
  
"Well," said Cole, "Phoebe and I have plans. I think we'd better get going."  
  
"Okay," said Phoebe. She walked over and put her arm around Cole. "Well, we'll  
see you later."  
  
Leo and Piper sat at the kitchen table talking for some time after Cole and Phoebe  
had left the house.  
  
TWO  
  
Paige charged into the living room. Another two nights without sleep had made her  
more than a little irritable. The night after hearing the baby crying all night, she kept  
hearing a bird somewhere in her room. No matter where she looked, she couldn't find  
it. And, just as with the three previous nights, she had gotten almost no sleep.  
  
Now, a cricket kept chirping every time she tried to doze off. She searched her  
entire room and the hallway beyond. But no matter where she looked, she couldn't find  
the abhorrent sound. It seemed to stay just outside of her reach, moving from room to  
room as if trying to lead her on a chase.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Phoebe, coming down the stairs, yawning.  
  
"It's that damned cricket," said Paige. "It's driving me crazy. If I don't get some  
sleep soon I'm gonna go nuts."  
  
"I know," said Phoebe. "Cole and I have been hearing it, too."  
  
"So have we," said Piper and Leo at the top of the stairs. "Every time we started to  
doze off, it would start up again. Paige, can you call it to you? We can put it outside  
where hopefully it will move on."  
  
Paige held out her hand and closed her eyes.  
  
"Cricket," she said.  
  
She waited a second, then opened her eyes. Her hand was empty. She threw here  
hands in the air in frustration. Then she stormed over to the sofa and collapsed in it.  
  
"Well," said Leo, "it's obviously not a cricket. This is getting serious. With none of  
us getting any sleep, we could be in serious danger if a demon attacks. You can't  
concentrate properly if you try to use your powers. I hate to think of the repercussions if  
that happens."  
  
"Well," said Paige, "I'm going to try and get some sleep down here. I'll just crash on  
the sofa. Tomorrow, we find that cricket and get rid of it."  
  
"Okay," said Piper. "Phoebe can see if she can find a spell in the Book of Shadows  
to clean out infestations in the house. That might help."  
  
"If I can't find one," said Phoebe, "I'll write one. This is my third night without sleep.   
I'm beginning to understand how Paige is feeling."  
  
"Okay, sweetie," said Piper. "Try to get some sleep. And in the morning you call in  
sick. Short handed or not, you aren't going to do anyone any good if you can't stay  
awake at work."  
  
"Maybe you're right," said Paige. "Okay, I'll call in sick first thing in the morning."  
  
Phoebe, Piper, and Leo went back up the stairs to go back to their rooms. As they  
reached the top of the stairs, Cole came out of his and Phoebes' room, looking for her.   
He put his arm around Phoebe and the two of them started to go into their room. He  
glanced down into the living room.  
  
"Who's that?" he asked.  
  
Phoebe looked back into the living room. Piper and Leo, who had already entered  
their room, came out and looked into the living room as well. Paige was sitting on the  
sofa with her head laying on the back. Standing behind was a man and woman.  
  
They were the same height and both had the same shade of brown hair. Their  
clothes seemed antiquated; as if they were dressed for a role in some play or movie  
that took place decades earlier. They were slightly transparent as the objects in the  
room behind them could be seen through their bodies. They looked up at the group at  
the top of the stairs.  
  
Before anyone could move or speak, the two figures put their hands to Paiges' head.   
Paige didn't move as the two seemed to draw some form of energy from Paige. Piper  
raised her hands and tried to freeze the entire living room. She knew the freezing  
wouldn't affect Paige. It didn't affects witches. But, hopefully, it would freeze whatever  
these two were. To her total amazement, they didn't freeze. Instead, they simply  
vanished from the living room.  
  
"Twinlings," gasped Cole as everyone watched in confusion.  
  
THREE  
  
"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked Paige, after everyone had gone into the living room.  
  
"I guess so," said Paige. "I'm so tired, I don't know how I feel."  
  
"What the hell happened in there?" demanded Piper. "Why didn't they freeze?"  
  
"They were probably immune to your power," said Leo. "We've run into those kind  
of demons before."  
  
"I think it's more serious than that," said Cole. He walked over and picked up a  
poker from the fireplace. "Piper, freeze this." He threw the poker into the air.  
  
Piper raised her hands to freeze the poker. Instead, it fell to the floor and came to  
rest on the carpet.  
  
"That's new," said Piper. "What happened?"  
  
"You said something about Twinlings," said Phoebe to Cole. "What does that  
mean?"  
  
"I don't know that much about them," said Cole. "They don't make any alliances with  
any other type of demon. Not even the higher level ones. They seem to have their own  
agenda. I can tell you they seem to have only one objective. To drain the magic from  
whomever or whatever they can."  
  
"So they drained my power?" asked Paige.  
  
"That's what they do," said Leo. "I've heard of these Twinlings, but I've never seen  
them or even known anyone who has. They appear from time to time and drain a  
witch, or warlock, or demon totally of their magic."  
  
"Which means," said Piper, "that the Power of Three is gone. Which explains why I  
couldn't freeze that poker. What can we do about this?"  
  
"I don't know," said Cole. "Like I said, not very much is known about them. Maybe  
the Book of Shadows has some more on them."  
  
"I'll check," said Phoebe. "But without our powers, I'm not sure what we can do  
about it. We can't even cast a spell."  
  
"Check the Book of Shadows," said Piper. "Maybe there's something in there that  
will help us."  
  
"Do you think they'll be back?" asked Paige. "They've got my powers. What more  
can they want?"  
  
"The Power of Three," said Cole. "With your powers, they only have one third of  
that power. If they want it all, they'll have to come back for Piper and Phoebe."  
  
"Why?" asked Piper. "We don't have our powers any more. There is no Power of  
Three now."  
  
"There is if they can recombine those powers," said Cole. "Which means they'll  
have to come back for both of you. If they can absorb your life force, a type of magic in  
itself, they'll be able to reconstitute the Power of Three. Which means they have to  
come back. To kill both of you."  
  
FOUR  
  
"Well," said Phoebe, coming down from the attic, "there was a listing on these  
Twinlings in the Book of Shadows. It told us pretty much what Cole and Leo already  
told us. They were first identified about one hundred years ago. Since then, several  
dozen witches, demons, and warlocks have fallen prey to them.  
  
"Apparently, they annoy their victims for several days, preventing them from getting  
any sleep. Then, when the victims are haggard and dead tired, they attack, draining the  
magic from the victims. There wasn't anything about them killing anyone in the Book,  
though."  
  
"What about a vanquishing spell?" asked Piper. "Or maybe a potion?"  
  
"Several," said Phoebe. "But it seems that they don't have a permanent affect on  
the Twinlings. At one time or another, both have been vanquished. But they always  
reappear later somewhere else."  
  
"Okay," said Piper, "so vanquishing them won't work. Anyone got any ideas?"  
  
"Any idea where these Twinlings came from?" asked Paige. "I mean, if they weren't  
identified until one hundred years ago, maybe they didn't exist until then."  
  
"Well," said Cole, "I can tell you they don't cooperate with any demons. I mean,  
even demons are subject to their attack."  
  
"What do they do with the magic they drain?" asked Piper. "If they're draining  
magic, they must want it for something."  
  
"No one can answer that," said Leo. "They don't seem to be any more powerful now  
than when they were first identified. We can only guess at why they want the magic."  
  
"You said they've been vanquished before," said Paige to Phoebe.  
  
"Yes," said Phoebe. "The Book of Shadows listed about half a dozen spells that  
have been used to vanquish them. As I said, none have had a permanent affect on  
them."  
  
"Were they both vanquished?" asked Paige. "I mean, at the same time."  
  
"No, I don't think so," said Phoebe. "Two of the spells were used against the female  
and four were used against the male. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well," said Paige, "their called Twinlings. And it looked to me like they were twins.   
Fraternal twins, obviously, but still twins."  
  
"I see where you're going with this," said Piper. "Maybe, we have to vanquish them  
both at the same time. By vanquishing only one at a time, they are somehow able to  
reconstitute themselves. But if we vanquish both of them, maybe that will end them  
forever."  
  
"But how do you do that?' asked Leo. "To vanquish two demons like this would  
require a Power of Three spell. Without Paiges' powers, there is no Power of Three."  
  
"I don't know," said Piper. "We might not have our powers anymore, but I can still  
make up a potion. Phoebe, you said there were vanquishing potions listed in the  
Book?"  
  
"Way ahead of you," said Phoebe, heading for the stairs. "I'll copy them down right  
now."  
  
"Okay," said Piper, "at least we have a chance."  
  
"What about my powers?" asked Paige. "If we vanquish them, won't that vanquish  
my powers as well?"  
  
"We'll get your powers back before we vanquish them," said Piper. "I don't know  
how, but we will."  
  
"That's not going to be easy," said Cole. "Like any demons, they won't want to give  
up the powers they have. Not even powers they've stolen from someone else."  
  
"One problem at a time," said Piper, her patience wearing thin. "First, we have to  
come up with a vanquishing potion. Then we have to figure out a way to bring them to  
us when we want them to. Then we can see about getting your powers back."  
  
Phoebe was able to come up with a vanquishing potion for the Twinlings. Since  
none of the potions had proven totally effective, she combined several of them to create  
a more potent potion; one which she felt would prove effective against the Twinlings.  
  
"I've made enough of the potion so that we can each have two applications of it,"  
said Phoebe. "That way, no matter which of us encounters them, we'll have enough to  
vanquish them completely."  
  
"Good," said Paige. "But don't' forget, we have to get my powers back."  
  
"Yes," said Piper, "I've been giving that some thought. Now don't discount my idea  
before you think about it. I say we draw them here and vanquish only one of them.   
Then, we give the other an ultimatum. They return Paiges' powers or we vanquish  
them, too. If they agree, we let them go."  
  
"You're not serious?" said Leo. "Piper, you know as well as anyone what these  
Twinlings do. They strip powers from witches. If you let them go, they'll just go on  
doing it."  
  
"If anyone has a better idea," said Piper, "I'm willing to listen. Leo, honey, you keep  
telling us how important the Charmed Ones are. And we've learned that for ourselves  
time and again. Unless we get Paiges' powers back, there will be no more Charmed  
Ones. We have to get them to agree to return those powers. This is the best idea I've  
come up with."  
  
"I hate to admit it," said Phoebe, "but she has a point. We have to convince them to  
return Paiges' powers, and self-preservation is probably the most potent form of  
coercion we can give them."  
  
"I agree," said Cole. "Maybe I don't have a vote in this, but I think it's the only way to  
force them to give the powers back."  
  
"You have a vote, honey," said Phoebe. "You're as much a part of this as anyone."  
  
"Okay," said Paige, "I agree. Now, the question is, how do we get them to come to  
us?"  
  
"They'll come when they're ready," said Cole. "When they think it's safe to steal  
more power. I think all we can do is wait for them."  
  
"He's right," said Leo. "Their own purpose is to steal your powers. We'll have to be  
very careful. They'll try to strike when you're at your weakest. Keep the potions with  
you all the time. And don't be afraid to use them. They might be your only chance."  
  
Two more days passed with no appearance by the Twinling demons. Apparently  
they felt that Paige was of no further use to them because they stopped harassing her.   
But Piper and Phoebe were a different matter. Every time one of them tried to get  
some rest, something seemed to keep them from falling asleep for more than a few  
minutes. Some noise or disturbance in the house would wake them up almost as soon  
as they had closed their eyes. The five sat in the kitchen discussing what to do next.  
  
"Okay," said Piper, her face drawn and haggard, dark circles under her eyes, "I've  
had enough of this. I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can hardly think straight. Those damned  
Twinlings are going to attack until we're too weak to fight back. We need a plan."  
  
"Let's go get them," suggested Paige. "They're obviously waiting for us to weaken  
so they can attack. As someone once said, the best defense if a good offense. I don't  
know who said it, but it sounds good to me. Let's go after them. They can't be  
expecting that."  
  
"She has a point," said Leo. "As far as I know, no one has ever gone after them.   
For one thing, no one knows where they stay."  
  
"I think I do," said Cole. "When I was hiding from the Source, after I betrayed him, I  
spent a lot of time shimmering between planes. I spent some time in the astral plane.   
Not many demons ever go there.  
  
"But I did sense some entities there. Supernatural entities. I couldn't place who  
they were, but I'm pretty sure now it was the Twinlings. It would explain why no one has  
ever been able to find them before. I can tell you they don't live in the underworld. If  
they did, they would have been destroyed long ago."  
  
"That makes sense," said Leo. "I know they don't live up there. The minute they  
appeared, they'd be discovered."  
  
"Okay," said Piper, "so we know where they live. The question is, how do we get to  
them?"  
  
"I can orb to them," said Leo.  
  
"The astral plane is a pretty big place," said Paige. "Are you sure you can find them  
up there?"  
  
"Yes," said Leo. "You're new to your powers. After a while, you learn to orb to  
specific places or specific people. When I orb up there, I'll just orb to where ever they  
are. It shouldn't be too difficult. I can't imagine there are more than two of them up  
there."  
  
"You can't go alone," said Phoebe. "One of us will have to use the potion on them.   
The White Lighter code won't let you harm them, even if their demons."  
  
"So which of us goes?" asked Piper.  
  
"I think that's obvious," said Paige. "Neither you nor Phoebe are in any condition to  
confront demons. Since they've left me alone, I've been able to rest. Besides, they  
already have my powers. There isn't much they can do to me."  
  
"Except kill you," said Piper.  
  
"Only if I give them the chance," said Paige. "Once I use the potion, whichever is  
left will have to listen to me."  
  
"Just be careful," said Piper. "We've already lost one sister. I don't want to loose  
another one, especially so soon after finding her."  
  
"I'll take good care of her," said Leo. "If there's even the slightest danger, I'll orb her  
out."  
  
"You be careful too, sweetie," said Piper, kissing him on the cheek. "They might try  
to steal your powers, too."  
  
"I will," promised Leo. "But like Paige said, this should take them by surprise. Once  
she's vanquished one of them, the other should listen to us."  
  
"I'll stay here," said Cole. "In case they attack while you're away. I'm not sure what I  
can do but at least they won't be alone."  
  
"Good," said Leo. "Well, we shouldn't be gone long. Wish us luck."  
  
Paige took Leos' arm and he orbed them out of the manor.  
  
"Good luck," whispered Piper as they orbed out.  
  
FIVE  
  
The astral plane looked to Paige exactly as she had envisioned it. There was  
nothing as far as the eye could see. At a constant level of about one foot from the  
ground swirled a mist. Everything was a brilliant white.  
  
Leo stood next to Paige surveying the scene. He had been to the astral plane  
before. But it had been decades. And then, it had only been a weigh station of sorts.   
While he was passing from his mortal form to that of a White Lighter. He saw Paige  
remove one of the vials of the vanquishing potion from her pocket.  
  
"You said you'd bring us to them," said Paige. "So where are they?"  
  
"I don't know," said Leo. "I do know they're close by. I don't know if they're aware  
we're here or not but we better be careful. If they get my powers, we'll be stuck here."  
  
Paige looked around the scene. Nothing moved except the constantly swirling mist  
just at their feet. She had no way of knowing how far they could see in this realm. On  
earth, she would have been able to see for hundreds of feet without any obstructions.   
But here, it could be different.  
  
As she stood looking into the distance, she experienced the strangest sensation. As  
if someone were watching her. It was a sensation everyone had experienced at one  
time or another. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew someone was watching  
her.  
  
Paige spun around and saw Abigail moving toward her. She didn't recognized the  
Twinling, of course. Her eyes had been closed during their attack on her. But she had  
no doubt this was one of the demons who had attacked her.  
  
Abigail was moving directly toward Leo and Paige. Instinctively, Paige grabbed Leo  
to pull him out of the demons' attack. But instead of moving physically, she orbed them  
both several feet away. When they finished orbing, Leo and paige just looked at each  
other in surprise.  
  
"I still have my White Lighter powers," said Paige.  
  
"Maybe they can't steal a White Lighters powers," said Leo. "In all the time they've  
been attacking people, I don't think there's been a report of them stealing a White  
Lighters' powers."  
  
They turned to face Abigail, who was again moving toward them. In the distance  
behind her, Zachary moved toward them, only more slowly. Apparently their strategy  
was for Abigail to attack, then Zachary would attack. Keeping the two off balance and  
unable to adequately defend against the attacks.  
  
Leo moved back away from the Twinling. But Paige stood her ground and removed  
the stopper from the vial holding the vanquishing potion. Just as Abigail reached her,  
Paige threw the potion on her, covering the front of her body with the potion.  
  
Abigail screamed in agony as the potion worked. Within seconds, the Twinling had  
vanished, leaving only Zachary. He stopped where he was and smiled at Paige.  
  
"It won't work, you know," said Zachary. "She'll reconstitute herself in a matter of  
minutes. When that's done, we'll destroy you for coming here. We can't be  
vanquished. It doesn't work on us."  
  
"It does if we vanquish both of you," said Paige, pulling out the second vanquishing  
potion. "With this, I can vanquish you and put an end to both of you for every."  
  
The smile faded from Zacharys' face. It was obvious he believe what she had told  
him. She had a second vanquishing potion. If she used it, he knew they would both be  
destroyed forever.  
  
"You must want something," said Zachary, "or you would have used that already."  
  
"You're right," said Paige. "I want my powers back. And I want you to leave my  
sisters' and me alone. I don't know why you're stealing the powers of witches and  
demons, but you can't have ours. I'll use this, believe me I will. Unless you give me  
back my powers."  
  
"I can't do that," said Zachary. "I only have half your powers. Abigail has the other  
half. We can't restore only part of them. We have to restore all of them at the same  
time. Which means you'll have to wait until she's reconstituted. And when that  
happens, you'll only have one potion left. You won't be able to vanquish us both.   
Then, we'll destroy both of you."  
  
SIX  
  
"Paige, we have to get out of here," said Leo. "We can get more of the vanquishing  
potion and come back."  
  
"No," said Paige. "We might not get another chance like this. If I can't get my  
powers back, at least I can stop them from doing this to someone else. I still have my  
White Lighter powers. But I'm not going to let them strip any more witches of their  
powers."  
  
"It's not our fault," said Zachary. "If our mother hadn't cursed us to be stranded here  
in this accursed plane, we wouldn't have to strip anyone of their powers. We only want  
to be free of this place."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Leo.  
  
"Our mother was a powerful witch," said Zachary. "She was afraid for us. That  
someone might try to take the powers we had inherited from her. So she cast a  
protection spell around us.  
  
"But something went wrong. Instead of protecting us, it sent us here. We tried to  
contact her; to tell her what happened. But we couldn't. By the time we figured out how  
to leave here, she had died. And without knowing what the spell was that she used, we  
don't know how to reverse it. The only thing that can help us is if we can gather enough  
magic to overwhelm the spell and break it's affect."  
  
"But you've been gathering power for over a hundred years," said Leo. "Don't you  
have enough to break the spell yet?"  
  
"The power we take doesn't last long," said Zachary. "Within a few days, it's  
depleted. We've never been able to gather enough power to break the spell. When we  
found the Charmed Ones, we finally thought we had found enough power to free  
ourselves."  
  
"Do you believe him?" Paige asked Leo.  
  
"It's possible," said Leo. "There's an old White Lighter legend about a witch at the  
turn of the twentieth century. She had twins, Abigail and Zachary. She supposedly was  
concerned because they had great promise with incredible powers. Powers almost as  
great as those of the Charmed Ones. But they suddenly disappeared. Their mother  
would never say what happened to them, and it was believed she had murdered them."  
  
"She didn't," said Zachary. "She was trying to protect us. As I said, the spell  
interacted with out magic. That's why we've been stealing magic. To break the spell.   
Now, we finally have a chance to do that. What did you think? That we were demons  
or something?"  
  
Leo and Paige just looked at each other in embarrassment.  
  
"You thought we're demons?" questioned Zachary.  
  
"Well," said Leo, "no one really knew what you were. It was just believed you were  
demons. Because of what you were doing. I'm sure you can understand our confusion.   
We had no way to know what was really going on."  
  
"I suppose," said Zachary. "So, what will you do now? Vanquish me and end it for  
us? Believe me, even being vanquished would be better than existing like this. We can  
only appear on Earth, or any other dimension, for that matter, for a short amount of  
time. The nature of our mothers' spell always compels us to return here."  
  
"We might be able to break her spell," said Paige. "If we had our powers intact, the  
Power of Three might be strong enough to undo what she did."  
  
"She's right," said Leo. "The Power of Three is the most powerful wiccan magic  
that's ever existed. It's taken generations to produce it. If any power can break that  
spell, it's the Power of Three."  
  
"Which means we would have to return her powers to her," said Zachary. "And if we  
do that, we may have lost our only chance to free ourselves of this place. What if you  
can't break the spell?"  
  
"Then we'll try something else," said Paige. "One day we'll find a way to free you.   
But you have to trust us on this. I think the Power of Three can break the spell. It's  
your only chance."  
  
"Your power combined with ours," said Zachary, "will guarantee our freedom. That's  
the only guaranteed way."  
  
"Nothing is guaranteed," said Leo. "Surely, after more than a century of trying, you  
must have learned that. But in order to get the Power of Three, you'll have to kill Piper  
and Phoebe. If your plan doesn't work, then they will have died in vain."  
  
Zachary looked at them. The look on his face showed that the thought of killing the  
two sisters pained him greatly. He was torn between his loyalty to his sister and the  
chance which Paige and Leo offered them.  
  
"Listen," said Paige, "according to Leo and Cole, you've never actually killed anyone.   
Are you really willing to kill my sisters on the chance that it might free you? Like Leo  
says, what if it doesn't work? Then you'll be murderers. I know it's a terrible risk you're  
taking. But give us a chance. I know we can help. Otherwise, I'll have to use this."   
She held up the vanquishing potion.  
  
Zachary was looking at Paige and Leo thinking over what they had just said. What  
they said made sense. The Power of Three was the most powerful magic he and his  
sister had ever encountered. Perhaps it could free them from their prison. As he stood  
considering his options, his sister suddenly reconstituted herself and stood before Leo  
and Paige.  
  
"Now, witch," said Abigail, "you'll learn what it means to attack my brother and  
myself."  
  
"No," said Zachary, stepping between his sister and Leo and Paige. "We can't do  
this, Abigail. We can't kill them just to free us from here. Stealing powers is one thing.   
But to kill someone is something else. They think we're demons. If we do this, we will  
be no better than demons."  
  
"We'll help you," said Paige, "you have my word. Just return my powers so we can  
restore the Power of Three, and my sisters and I will do everything we can to break the  
spell you mother put on you."  
  
"You told them?" said Abigail to her brother.  
  
"Yes," said Zachary. "She has another vanquishing potion. She was going to  
vanquish me. If she did that, we'd both be dead. Permanently. She's offered to help  
us. I believe her."  
  
"You're too easily swayed," said Abigail. "She's deluding you. To gain the upper  
hand."  
  
"She had that," said Zachary. "And she didn't use it. She could have vanquished  
me at any time, but she didn't. I say we give her and her sisters the chance they've  
asked for."  
  
"And if they fail?" demanded Abigail. "We'll still be trapped here. Maybe forever."  
  
"And if they succeed," said Zachary, "we'll be free of this place. And we won't have  
innocent blood on our hands. Abigail, please, give them the chance. It may be the only  
one we have."  
  
Abigail looked at Zachary, then at Paige and Leo. For over a hundred years she and  
her brother had been trapped in this limbo of a world. Never truly able to return to their  
home. Always being outsiders looking in. Now, they had the chance for their escape.  
  
But she and her brother were very close. Closer than even the Charmed Ones. In  
all the years they had lived, they had only each other to rely on. Only each other to  
gain help and strength from. That bond was virtually unbreakable.  
  
"Okay, brother," said Abigail. "I've never known you to be so passionate about  
anything before. You realize, of course, that if they fail, we may never escape this  
place."  
  
"Better that," said Zachary, "than becoming murderers. As much as I want to leave  
this place, I don't think I could live with myself if that was the cost."  
  
"We'll give you your chance," said Abigail to Paige and Leo. "I just hope you have  
the power to free us. We've waited a long time to be free of this place."  
  
"You'll have to return my power," said Paige, "in order to restore the Power of Three.   
It's the only way we have even a chance of freeing you."  
  
"I understand," said Abigail. "As soon as we are able to return to Earth, we'll restore  
your power to you. We can't do it here."  
  
Paige and Leo looked at each other.  
  
"You ask us to trust you," said Abigail. "Now, you must trust us. We'll come as soon  
as we can. I'm sure my brother has told you we can only leave here for short periods of  
time. It takes a while for our power to be restored to do that."  
  
"Okay," said Paige. "But don't forget, we still have the vanquishing potion."  
  
"That would be difficult to forget," said Abigail. "It will take a few hours for our power  
to return. We'll see you then."  
  
Leo and Paige orbed back to the manor to await the Twinlings return.  
  
SEVEN  
  
"You're sure they're coming?" asked Piper after Leo and Paige had returned.  
  
"They said they would," said Paige. "They said it takes a while for their power to  
recharge so they can move between dimensions. Phoebe, have you been able to  
come up with a spell yet?"  
  
"I think so," said Phoebe. "I've had six hours to research the spell. Since you told  
us what happened to them, I've been able to come up with something I think will work.   
And, as you specified, it's a Power of Three spell. From what you've told us, I think it's  
the only thing that's going to help."  
  
"What if it doesn't work?" asked Cole. "They'll return to the astral plane where they'll  
probably go on stealing powers to free themselves."  
  
"Maybe not," said Paige. "I told them if this Power of Three didn't work, we'd  
continue to try to find some way to free them."  
  
"Okay," said Piper. "Well, we'll just have to hope the spell works."  
  
Just then, Abigail and Zachary simply materialized in the living room. They looked  
like spirits, partially transparent, but they didn't glow as spirits did.  
  
"We're here as we promised," said Abigail.  
  
"Great," said Paige. "Now, you'll need to restore my powers so that the Power of  
Three will be restored. The spell won't work otherwise."  
  
Abigail and Zachary moved over to Paige and put their hands to her head, as they  
had done when they had stolen her powers. Once again, some form of energy seemed  
to pass between the Twinlings and Paige. When they finished, Paige nearly collapsed  
on the sofa.  
  
"What a rush," she said.  
  
"Now, keep your part of the agreement," said Abigail. "Free us from the astral prison  
we've been in all these years."  
  
"Give her a minute to adjust," said Piper. "Surely you are aware that taking in that  
amount of magic all at once can be overwhelming."  
  
"Forgive me," said Abigail, apologetically. "It's just, after so long, to be so close to  
freedom has made me impatient. But we can't remain here long. Soon, we will be  
compelled to return to the astral plane. I just want to get this over with."  
  
"I think I'm ready," said Paige. "I was a bit light headed at first, but that's passed.   
Phoebe, do you have the spell?"  
  
"Right here," said Phoebe, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket.  
  
The three sisters stood next to each other looking at the paper. They scanned the  
spell one to get a feel for it. Then they began to recite the spell.  
  
"Spell of protection, cast in the past, to shield these two from harm, unbind the  
magic that has trussed them together, and free them from its' grasp, now and for all  
time."  
  
For a moment, nothing happened. Everyone was beginning to thing it had failed.   
Then, suddenly, both Abigail and Zachary became solid. The transparency they had  
exhibited faded completely and, except for their clothing, they appeared to be no  
different from the others in the room.  
  
Almost as suddenly, they began to age rapidly. They collapsed on the floor as they  
aged decades within seconds. Abigail was dead before any of the other could get to  
her. Paige cradled Zacharys' head in her lap.  
  
"We thought this might happen," he gasped. "After so many years in the astral  
plane, the years would catch up with us if we ever escaped there. Abigail was the  
eldest by twelve minutes. That's why she aged so rapidly. Within a couple of minutes,  
I'll die, too."  
  
"I'm sorry," said Paige. "We had no way of knowing this would happen. If we had,  
maybe we could have prevented it."  
  
"There's no way to prevent it," gasped Zachary. "It's natural for all living things to  
age and die. We had more than one hundred years. Longer than most. Thank you for  
freeing us. I'm glad to see my faith in you was not misplaced."  
  
He died in Paiges' arms.  
  
"That's a shame," said Phoebe. "After all that time, they didn't even get a chance to  
live a normal life."  
  
"They're at peace now," said Piper. "The least we can do is give them a decent  
burial. I know a place just outside the city where we can lay them to rest. Leo, Cole,  
can you take them upstairs to the attic? They should be safe there until we can make  
the arrangements for the funeral."  
  
Gingerly, Leo and Cole carried the two bodies up to the attic and covered them with  
sheets. Then they went back down to living room. They spent the rest of the night  
talking about what had happened. Leo said he would tell the Elders of what had  
transpired so that everyone would know the Twinlings no longer posed a threat. And to  
set the record straight that they were not, in fact, demons.  
  
* * *  
  
Leo and Cole shoveled the last bit of dirt on the two graves. They patted the dirt  
with their shovels, then wiped the sweat from their foreheads. It was a peaceful setting.   
A small meadow in the midst of a small wooded area just outside the city.  
  
"May they finally find peace," said Paige as she sprinkled flowers over the graves.   
"All they ever wanted was to be free of a prison that was not of their making. At least  
now, they can rest in peace here."  
  
"Yes," said Piper. "It's strange. I was ready to vanquish them for what they'd done  
to us. And to others. Now, I can only pity them for what they had to go through."  
  
"I know what you mean," said Phoebe. "I was beginning to think the Power of Three  
was gone forever."  
  
"Well," said Cole, "it's over now. Considering everything they went through, what  
they did wasn't so bad. They were just trying to survive. Like any of us would have  
done."  
  
"Let's get back to the manor," said Leo. "Paige may have had some rest since they  
quit harassing her, but Piper and I haven't slept in days. I'm looking forward to a good  
uninterrupted nights' sleep."  
  
"I hear that," said Phoebe. "I don't think I've ever been this tired."  
  
The five of them walked back to the car for the drive back into town. Each made a  
secret promise to themselves that they would visit the graves often. So that, in death,  
Abigail and Zachary would never have to be as lonely as they had been in life.  
  
The End   
  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories at my website,  
www.geocities.com/killeenmale/. You can also post your own "Charmed" stories if you  
like to write fan fiction. 


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